Rosler issues Chelsea warning

17 February 2013 10:40

Brentford manager Uwe Rosler says Chelsea's rotating players will not have it easy in their FA Cup fourth-round replay at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea boss Rafa Benitez is likely to make changes to his starting line-up for the game, but Rosler has warned the Spaniard not to take his side lightly.

"Since bigger clubs have 11 designated players on the pitch, there are those who must sit on the bench, such as Marko Marin at Chelsea," Rosler told Goal.com.

"It's difficult for them as they have not played for a while and then are thrown in the deep end against combative and highly-motivated third-tier players.

"You have seen that we can raise our performance against a team like Chelsea - not necessarily individually, but the performance of the entire team.

"If you have a good game plan, help yourself and close down space quickly like we did, then you always have a chance, even against Chelsea's world stars."

The 44-year-old German said the FA Cup is the most prestigious domestic knockout tournament in the world but feels some foreign players do not understand the importance of the trophy.

"It is the best cup competition in the world with the greatest history but some, especially foreigners, underestimate the value of the FA Cup," he said.

Despite the potential glory of a fifth-round appearance, Rosler insists League One remains a priority for the west London club.

"Sure, I'd be happy to win, but the name Chelsea must get out of the players' minds (after the tie)," he said.

"We played on Tuesday, and, although it was only one game, (winning that instead of the FA Cup match) is more important for me.

"Promotion from League One is still our priority."